Our Experts

Ask the Experts

Individual members of The Menopause Exchange can send in questions to be answered by our 'Ask the Experts' panel. The senders of all questions remain anonymous.

Kathy Abernethy RN MClinSci

Kathy Abernethy is associate director/senior nurse specialist at the Menopause Clinical & Research Unit, North West London Hospitals NHS Trust, Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow, Middlesex. She is director of 'the menopause course' - an educational initiative for nurses and chair of the UK Menopause Nurse Group.

Gaynor Bussell BSc. (Hons) RD MBDA Rnutr (Public Health)

Gaynor Bussell is a dietitian and public health nutritionist, who has specialised in women's health for over 20 years. Her work includes seeing patients, authoring several publications, including a best selling 'Managing PCOS for Dummies' and media work in this area. Her other areas of work include weight loss and diabetes and she sits on several key nutrition committees.

Dr Kathryn M Clement MFSRH MRCOG BA BM BCh

Dr Kathryn Clement works as a part-time consultant in sexual and reproductive healthcare at New Croft Centre in Newcastle upon Tyne. Her clinical interests are complex contraception and medical gynaecology including the management of the menopause.

Mr Michael Dooley MMs FFFP FRCOG

Mr Michael Dooley is a consultant in obstetrics and gynaecology at Dorset County Hospital in Dorchester. He also consults at The Lister Hospital and King Edward VII’s Hospital, London. Michael believes in a patient-centred integrated approach to healthcare. With this aim he has established The Poundbury Clinic based in London and Dorset. His special interests include infertility, the menopause, osteoporosis, premenstrual syndrome, period problems, endometriosis and polycystic ovarian syndrome.

Dr Sarah Gray BSc. (Hons) MBBS MRCGP DRCOG DFSRH FHEA

Dr Sarah Gray is a GP with 30 years' experience in all aspects of women's health. She works with practices and provides a specialist service within the private sector. She is extensively involved in teaching and training healthcare professionals as well as educating women directly so that as many as possible have the chance to make informed decisions about their own health.

Angie Jefferson RD RPHNutr

Angie Jefferson is a consultant dietitian. Whether communicating face-to-face or via the web or written form, Angie focuses on delivering simple positive messages for achieving optimum nutrition within a healthy lifestyle. In addition to the practical application of the science of nutrition, Angie's specialties include women's and children's nutrition, functional foods, weight management and heart health. She has run her own consultancy business for almost 20 years.

Dr Diana Mansour FRCOG FFSRH DIPM

Dr Diana Mansour is a consultant in community gynaecology and reproductive healthcare and head of sexual health services in Newcastle, UK. She serves as an honorary lecturer at the University of Newcastle and is also the treasurer and an officer for the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare. She has written more than 80 scientific papers and publications on a variety of medical topics including the menopause and is also Vice President, Clinical Standards for the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare.

Dr Nicola Mullin FRCOG MFFP

Dr Nicola Mullin is a consultant in sexual and reproductive health for East Cheshire NHS Trust, based in Chester. Her special interests are in the menopause, contraception in the perimenopause, management of symptoms for younger women with breast cancer and the development of community gynaecology services.

Dani Singer MBACP(Snr Accred)/ /UKCP Reg.

Dani Singer is a specialist counsellor & psychotherapist at the Menopause Clinical & Research Unit, Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow, Middlesex, at the West London Menopause & Premenstrual Syndrome Centre at Queen Charlotte's & Chelsea Hospital and at Chelsea & Westminster Hospital's Pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS) and premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) clinic in London. She is involved with the charity The Daisy Network and the National Association for Premenstrual Syndrome (NAPS).

Dr Nuttan K Tanna D Com P, PhD, FFRPS, FRPharmS

Dr Nuttan Tanna works as a pharmacist consultant in women's health and older people. Her remit includes pharmaceutical/clinical care with focus on good and safe medicine taking, teaching and training, research and leadership and policy level work. She runs medication management clinics at Northwick Park Hospital, London North West Healthcare NHS Trust, in Harrow, Middlesex. She supports high risk patients including women with an early menopause, with other medical conditions and those who have breast cancer and need help managing their menopause. She also works with patients at risk of osteoporosis and fractures. She is a clinical advisor for the National Osteoporosis Society. She is currently working with Public Health England on the National Falls Prevention Co-ordinating Group. Her research interests include innovative NHS service development. She is a senior NIHR CLAHRC fellow with expertise in improvement science, a senior honorary research fellow with Imperial College School of Science & Medicine and a senior visiting lecturer with the School of Pharmacy at the University of Hertfordshire.

Lila Thakerar MBE MRPharmS

Lila Thakerar is a community pharmacist from Harrow. She was named in the Queen's New Year Honours list 2012, as having been awarded the Member of the British Empire (MBE) for services to the community in the London Borough of Harrow. Having won two national business awards in 2005, Lila also writes for magazines and national newspapers and advises and writes about the menopause, smoking and NHS Services to the community. She is also a spokesperson for the National Pharmacy Association.

Dr Jenifer Worden MBChB MRCGP MFHom DFSRH

Dr Jenifer Worden is a GP in Christchurch, Dorset. She has a particular interest in women’s health and also practises complementary medicine.